When you enter information for a charitable contribution of stock, TurboTax needs the cost basis entered if your donated stock was held for less than one year because in that case the contribution amount will be limited to the cost basis.
If you held the stock for longer than a year, then TurboTax will use the fair market value for the contribution. In that case, use your best estimate of the basis if you don't know the exact amount and enter that in the basis box.
See this help article for more information from TurboTax on determining the original purchase price. For example, view the historical section at Marketwatch or Nasdaq, or Yahoo Finance.
If you plan to donate property worth more than $5,000 ($10,000 for stock in closely-held firms), you'll need to get a formal appraisal by an appraiser who meets IRS guidelines. See this TurboTax tips article for more information.
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